


Desert Roses

by Mo-hot-ve (LocalAngelTracker)



Series: Desert Nights [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: F/F, Just two lesbians in the desert, brief suicide mention, very self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-01-20 14:38:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12434883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LocalAngelTracker/pseuds/Mo-hot-ve
Summary: A centurion and a NCR captain spend the night together after a round of drinks. You know why you're here.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The smut is all in the second chapter

It had begun with a stand still, an eerie quiet over the torn up landscape over the battlefield down south along the California/Arizona border. For 6 months now both camps had been silent, watching each other intently over the course of time, neither eager to make the first move. 

The NCR side, under Captain Jessica Ramirez, held 4 squads of troops in the remains of what had once been a town called Yuma. There were plenty of vantage points to hold it, but even in the 6 months of encampment the town wasn't perfectly defensible if a larger force rolled through the area. Ramirez would sooner cut off her trigger hand than admit defeat. If they couldn't hold the town, they would take every bastard they could to hell with them. 

Thankfully for Ramirez, the legion encampment a mile out seemed to be in the same position they were in, if not worse. There were originally 3 groups, each under a decanus, that had practically limped into the area five miles more east under an ancient centurion who had to be carried into their camp on a stretcher. Regardless of the shabby shape of their unit and NCR outnumbering them, the legionaries had made camp and dug themselves in both metaphorically and literally. While the NCR had a town, they had only the foxholes and trenches they had dug for defense. 

Both sides had been without a supply train for months, and neither had heard word from their superiors up the ranks on what was to be done about the other. So they sat and waited, watching each other from across the desert, unsure who would be foolish enough to take the first step. 

Within the first two months, the old centurion had died, Ramirez was unsure what of. All they knew was that the man was dead and a new centurion had been chosen amongst the decanii. The NCR had watched through their scopes as a funeral pyre had been built and the old man's corpse had been returned back to the dust. 

The new centurion was young and commanded deep respect from what Jessica could tell through her binoculars, but it was unclear which decanus had been chosen and which veteran had moved up to an officer's position. 

A month ago, they had made contact with each other, in a surprisingly no hostile way. 

A private, sun cooked and tired had thrown his gun and knife down before the entrance to the town and had stumbled out into the desert. There was no mistaking that he intended to commit suicide by walking the 5 miles straight into the legion's machetes. 

They had watched him go, wandering until they could no longer see him. It would have done them no good to stop him as without the supply trains there was no medical supplies to help him or way to get him back to a settlement for treatment. 

For 3 nights he had been gone, and they had mourned him appropriately. On the daybreak of the fourth morning, he had stumbled back into town as dazed and confused as the rest of them were. He had brought back a sack full of anti-venom, a gift of good will from the centurion and news that legion scouts had sighted cazdores moving into the area from the northeast two miles out. 

Over and over they grilled him, trying to understand what sort of trick it was, but there was no evidence of ill will in their actions. They had taken the recruit in on the centurion's orders, fed him and given him a place to stay on the edge of their camp, and had sent him back when they felt he was well. They were suspicious, but not opposed to contact. Ramirez had no doubt that they were beginning to miss outside contact with the rest of the world. Her own men had already begun to show the signs of the same sort of thinking themselves. 

So the captain sent 4 men armed to the teeth back across the sands with a gift of sunset sarsaparillas and prewar snackcakes they had uncovered in one of the old building's basement. The legion scouts who met them had accepted them warily at first, but word quickly spread of the first sweets the legionaries had had in over a year and they were soon fast friends with the men Ramirez had sent. When the centurion had come to greet them they passed along an offer from Ramirez to go equal shares on hunting the cazdores down, both sides to send men and splits the spoils equally. 

A week later and 4 veterans met her men at the front gate to go take care of the pests. Within two days they came back successful, carrying eggs, wax, and bitter honey. 

Emboldened, the centurion took this uneasy footing and show of trust as a sign to move their camp forward, pushing back any progress of friendship back to the start. 

The encampment now set a mile from their doorstep where they could see the start of new trenches being dug and the men going about their daily routine. All the NCR could do was polish their riffles and wait for whatever trick the legion tried to pull next. At the end of the day after all, they were still enemies. So they sat and waited, watching each other like two Yaogui circling for territory. 

Finally, Ramirez had enough. She sent out another group of men inviting the legion in to interact and trade if they want, so help them god if they pulled any bullshit. If she was to be hanged for the crime against the NCR then so be it. It was easier to just trade supplies and money than sit on her hands any longer, stewing while she waited for the attack that wouldn't seem to happen. 

Her troops didn't seem to mind the new contact, and the past three days went relatively smoothly all things considered. Neither group had much in the way to trade but the legionaries had integrated in almost seamlessly to the town, trading information, stories, and news where they lacked in coin or goods. She was surprised to find a letter on her desk the second morning from the centurion, promising crucifixion or worse for any soldier under their command that jeopardized the arrangement. The legion was more desperate for contact than she was, a show of weakness that was almost unsettling. 

It made her absolutely determined to meet this centurion face to face, not only out of principle, but to puzzle out what exactly was going on behind their obnoxiously ugly helmet. So she sent a letter back, inviting the legion to a celebration of sorts in the remains of a bar in town. The legion could bring food if they wanted, but it was for all intents and purposes, a loose cease fire celebration, at least until the war for Nevada reached them. 

The centurion never sent back a letter accepting the invitation, but instead sent a decanus with a necklace of fine stones from the east as a way of accepting. She sent the decanus and necklace back with the reply that she had no interest in men but that she was glad they accepted the NCR's offer. She would see them Friday at the bar and don't send anymore tokens like that in the future. Ramirez still wasn't sure why the decanus had laughed at that but it made her suspicious for the event to come. 

When the day of the party arrived, Ramirez had holed herself in her office with her best men, a secret holdout incase of the worst while the rest of the people went about their business unaware. She had watched from the window as the legion had moved freely about the town, waiting for them to attack, but nothing ever came. 

Instead she watched as they hauled in radscorpions and geckos, setting up cook fires in the town center. In the very middle, the legionaries helped her men assemble a bonfire for the night. Between the two forces it took no time at all to prepare the bar and town center for the party, and effort was turned to hands of caravan and out showing the other side in culinary skills. 

Not once while residing in her office did Ramirez see the centurion step foot in her town, and it put her further on edge. Surely that was a sign that the whole was going to be a trap? 

Eventually day turned to night and there was only so much of the captain's pacing that her men could take. One by one they left, heading down to the party until it was only the captain by herself, watching from the window. 

Finally, as she's resolving herself to sleeping at her desk for the night, the crowd parts bellow and through them walks the centurion. 

Ramirez' gun is in her holster and her uniform is rebuttoned before the door to her office can slam behind her. 

It takes some pushing and shoving to get through the crowd to the other commander inside the bar. When Ramirez finally reaches the other, she finds that the only place to stand is between a wall and the legionnaire against the bar. Her pistol would be useless in such tight quarters but it's a chance she'll have to take. 

Before she can get a greeting out, the other takes their helmet off, revealing a woman beneath the armor. Ramirez' jaw drops slightly in shock and taller woman only smirks back. 

"Expecting someone else?" The woman asks, and Ramirez' jaw snaps shut with a soft click.

"Not in the slightest. I was wondering what took you so long to get here, Centurion...." she pauses, realizing their communications never provided a name.

"Juno" the other finishes for her. "Centurion Juno, but just Juno to my friends. And you must be Captain Jessica Ramirez." Juno's eyes sweep over the captain, taking all of her in. The smirk never disappears from her face and Jessica notes that the woman is just as smug and full of herself as any of her male counterparts.

Jessica blushes under the gaze and scowls slightly, attempting to look more serious than the other makes her feel. "I didn't think they let women hold rank let alone fight" Jessica quips before gesturing the bar tender over. She's going to need a stiff drink to hold this conversation if the other woman keeps looking her over like that. 

The centurion lets out a sharp bark of a laugh, shaking her head" They don't, but when you've got enough money anything is possible" 

"Enough money to hang out in the middle of bum fuck nowhere. Sounds delightful" Jessica snorts. The barman comes over and Jessica orders a triple of vodka and a Nuka cola, she's shocked when the centurion asks for the same. "You drink?"

"Not often enough" she replies, her smirk turning into a lopsided grin that reveals she only has one sharp canine. 

The other one is missing, half hidden by the way her lips are curled. The missing tooth lines up perfectly with a scar that runs through her lip, Jessica notes. It makes her look more rugged, Jessica thinks and she wonders what the other scars and stories might be hiding under the rest of her armor. 

Juno leans in closer, invading the captain's personal space "You know what they say about staring at people's lips right?" 

Jessica shivers and blushes, turning away with a soft cough to take her glass of vodka and the bottle of Nuka cola from the bartender. "You didn't answer my question. Why are you even out here? There's not a legion outpost for another 1000 miles at least"

The centurion shrugs, pouring her own Nuka cola into the glass of vodka. "Our former centurion refused to turn back despite his injuries and the fact that multiple battles had wiped out over half of what was left of our contriburnia. We're all that remains, and to be frank, all I want is to head back to Two Sun and tell Sol exactly where he can shove the march to the sea ideas he filled the old man's head with." She takes a long drink, grimacing at the burn. "So what is a bright, pretty young woman doing out here in, as you put it, bum fuck no where?" 

Jessica snorts and take a long drink of her own beverage "Too mouthy for the upper ranks. Our top brass here deserted three months before you all showed up leaving me in charge"

Juno offers her glass in toast, the easy smirk returning to her face "Here's to men who don't know shit and the women like us who get things done" 

Jessica laughs softly and taps her glass against the other's before taking another sip. 

"You should really slow down on this stuff" Jessica says, watching with slightly raised eyebrows at her companion who's now downed half her glass while Jessica's was still mostly full. "You legionaries don't drink enough to be able to hold your liquor for shit"

There's another laugh from the centurion, less sharp and more warm this time. "Tough talk for a profligate" Juno teases" Deathclaws are worse than vodka anyway and I take your words as a challenge" Juno leans in close again, tapping her glass lightly against Jessica's before taking another drink. The centurion doesn't move out of Jessica's personal and she finds she doesn't mind.

Jessica is quick to toss back her glass to catch up, coughing slightly as the burn is more than she can take. The centurion pats her back sympathetically as Jessica leans in against her for support. When Jessica catches her breath, the hand on her back pull away. 

She looks up at the taller woman, and blushes again when they make eye contact. Juno's intense grey eyes complimented her raven black hair nicely in the soft light of the bar. Jessica finds her eyes traveling back down the other woman's face to the scar and her soft plump lips. Subconsciously, Jessica licks her own.

"You were saying about staring at lips?" Jessica asks, the warmth of the liquor in her body making her bolder. 

Juno chuckles and sets her glass down on the bar, turning her full attention to the captain "And it's me who needs to watch herself around vodka." Her now free hand moves to Jessica's glass, taking it from her to set it down on the bar next to her own. 

"I can handle my liquor just fine" Jessica replies, mirroring the centurion by placing an arm around Juno's waist. "I just think it's good for both of us to keep a slightly clear head, and we're only buzzed" she adds, almost in after thought. 

Juno snickers" A slightly clear head? I know a couple of things we could do that might help with that" she moves her hand lower to rest on Jessica's rear." If you're interested of course" 

Jessica pauses in mock thought "Well....I suppose my crimes against the NCR are already bad enough..." she turns to face Juno fully "My place? I'm not walking a mile to fuck on the ground" she says bluntly and the other woman laughs, shaking her head. 

"You don't know anything until you've fucked on the mutant beaver pelts I've got lining my bed, trust me. Like making love on a cloud" Juno says with a smirk "but since you're offering a proper bed we can put off the furs until tomorrow night. Lead the way, captain" Juno gives a mock salute similar to the NCR's and grabs her helmet off the bar. 

Together they slowly make their way back out of the crowded bar, taking side streets to avoid being seen, they slip through the town to a house on the edge of the settlement.


	2. Chapter 2

Once they're inside, Jessica doesn't even a chance to turn on a slight switch before the centurion has her pinned up against the door. 

"I've wanted you to myself since the moment I saw you six months ago through my binoculars" Juno says, pressing their foreheads together "And mars be damned if I don't get to enjoy every minute of this" 

Jessica reaches out and grabs the other woman's armor, yanking her closer against her body. "Then don't talk about it, do it" The captain says, surging forward to kiss the other woman in her grasp. 

Juno kisses back, her helmet hitting the ground with a thud as her hands move to begin unbuckling the captain's chest plate. 

Jessica pulls back just enough to trace the tip of her tongue from the top of the scar running through Juno's lips to its bottom, smirking when she feels the other woman shiver from the contact. She presses their lips back together, now pressing her tongue against the other's mouth, asking permission to deepen the kiss. 

Juno obliges with a soft moan, her own tongue meeting Jessica's halfway. They only pull away once Jessica's chest piece hits the floor with a metallic thud. Juno kicks it away to join her helmet, and immediately busies her hands with the button's of the captain's shirt. 

Jessica leans against the door, panting softly as the other woman works. As soon as the last button is undone she shrugs of the shirt and tosses it to the corner, her beret following not long after. 

"They make you NCR gals fun to unwrap" Juno says with a smirk, pulling off Jessica's belt with haste."But they need to streamline the process to strip you down" 

Jessica snorts and bats away the hands coming for the button of her trousers."I'm not taking anything else off till we're even" she states, reaching up to begin tugging the straps of the centurion's armor off. "I can imagine it's that easy to fuck in something so bulky and hideous" 

Juno lets out a soft gasp of mock offense, not stoping the hands pulling off her bracers and armor." I'll have you know only Mars finest get to wear something as magnificent as this" she helps lift her heavy chest plate over her head and drop it with a deep thud once the buckles are undone" Anyways it's much better than potato sacks with bears painted on them any day" she teases and Jessica bursts into giggles at the comparison. 

"We can't all have power armor, Juno" Jessica says with a grin, and wraps her arms around the taller woman's neck."See now, isn't this better that we're even?" She leans in for another kiss, but yelps as she's lifted up. "Warning next time?" She hisses before leaning down to get the kiss she was originally going for, her legs wrapping around Juno's waist. 

Juno accepts the kiss happily, keeping it sweet and chaste for only half a second before biting the other woman's lower lip. 

Jessica moans and moves a hand to tangle in Juno's short black hair, tugging lightly in relation. 

Juno pulls back slightly, peppering her face with kisses "Where's your bed? Or I can take you here against the wall if you so wish" she says between the kisses. " I'm not opposed to helping you christen each room in the house" 

Jessica kisses back just as much, trying to match her pace "Maybe tomorrow. For now I just want you. Bedroom is in the back, down the hall" 

Juno lets out a pleased hum, and begins carrying Ramirez there, occasionally bumping into walls or furniture along the way, distracted by the smaller woman. 

When they get to the bedroom, Jessica is unceremoniously dumped onto the bed so Juno can begin to undo the straps holding on her leg armor and unlacing her boots. 

"You legionaries really aren't well versed in gentleness or grace you?" Snorts Jessica, unlacing her own combat boots, kicking them off into the floor. Her tank top follows soon after and is joined by the standard red legion issue shirt Juno was wearing. 

Juno puts her thumbs through her belt, and grins down at the other woman. "You'll just have to teach me that stuff later, princess. But I promise I'm a fast learner." She winks, and moves down her knees before the captain. "Pants off, captain" she orders. 

Jessica shivers and starts to undo her trousers. "Bossy too, my goodness. You treat all your conquests like this?" She teases, and lays back on her elbows. The centurion reaches forward and slowly pulls her jeans and panties down together, and Jessica lifts her hips to make it easier for her. 

"Only the cute ones" Juno teases back, and tosses Jessica's pants to the side. She guides Jessica's legs apart and scoots closer so she begin to pepper the inside of the shorter woman's thighs with soft kisses and small nips. 

Jessica moans and spreads her legs further, scooting down the bed slightly to make it easier for Juno to reach her. She watches through half lidded eyes as the-no, correction, her centurion finally makes her way up to her pussy. Juno leans in closer, licking Jess now in long slow strokes as her hands come to rest on Jess's thighs. 

Juno increases her pace just a tad, still keeping her licks long from Jess's entrance to her clit. She keeps this pattern for a bit before changing things up, sitting up further on her knees to rub the tip of her tongue in circles around Jess's clit. 

Jessica moans and moves her left hand to rest in Juno's hair, urging her on. Juno tilts her head in response, nipping the inside of her thigh before starting on a hickey in the spot, deliberately avoiding Jessica's lower regions. 

"Fuck, don't tease me" Jessica hisses, pushing herself up a bit more to make sure Juno sees her dirty look. "It's hardly fair"

Juno kisses the hickey lovingly with a smirk "Why my dear captain, I would never dream of doing such a horrendous thing" Juno says innocently, batting her eyelashes at the woman before her. "Although the look on your face is quite adorable" the innocent look melts off her face into a lecherous grin. She moves back forward, going back to assaulting Jessica's clit with a variety of licks and sucks, never quite sticking with one or the other for very long. 

Jessica sighs happily and lets herself fall back "you keep calling me captain" she observes between soft moans "is there a kink I should be aware of?"

Juno doesn't answer, just laughs softly before going back to the task at hand. She shifts herself so she can bring a hand up and press a finger experimentally into her entrance. She goes slow about it, drawing out the experience for Jessica who whimpers softly. 

"Faster please" Jessica begs "another finger at least" her grip tightens in Juno's hair. 

"Faster please, Centurion" Juno corrects with a pleased look, stopping her motions. 

Jessica groans in frustration "faster please, centurion" she grinds out after a moments pause before quickly adding under her breath " there is a kink" 

Juno chuckles softly "As you wish" she goes back to her previous ministrations, quicker about it like she was asked. A second finger joins the first and she begins to work them in and out of Jessica, searching for the right combination of motions to drive Jessica wild. 

It doesn't take Juno long, Jessica melting beneath her as she comes undone. Jessica's breaths come out shorter and faster, her moans becoming higher, until finally, she cums, clenching down on Juno's fingers. 

Juno keeps her pace, letting Jessica ride out her orgasm, until she feels the captain pushing gently against her head to get her to stop. Juno slowly removes her fingers, pressing one last kiss to Jessica's pussy before sitting back and stretching out her legs, trying to regain a bit of feeling in her knees. 

Jessica flops back onto the bed, stretching out and panting lightly as she comes of the endorphin high. Finally she lets out a soft "wow" which is met with another round of soft laughter from Juno. She sits up, crossing her legs, and looks down at Juno with mock annoyance. "Keep laughing and I'll kick you out" she threatens with no bite or intention whatsoever of following through on the threat. 

"I'm sure you will captain" Juno says with a smirk, bringing her fingers up to her mouth to slowly lick off Jessica's sweetness. She's as slow and deliberate about it as everything else does and Jessica bites her lip, watching her like a hawk. Juno pulls them out with a slow pop. She shifts her position so her cleavage is visible and looks up at Jessica through half lidded eyes. "Still want to kick me out or would you prefer me somewhere else?" 

"I want you in my bed right this instant" Jessica says bluntly. She stands and offers her hands to Juno, pulling the centurion to her feet. As soon as the taller woman is standing, Jessica moves into her personal space, dipping her thumbs down into the hem of Juno's skirt. "This'll need to come off first" she says, and presses a kiss to Juno's scar. Juno nods, letting Jessica undo her last belt before she slides the fabric off and kicks it to the corner. Jessica raises her eyebrows in surprise "no panties?"

Juno shrugs, reaching behind herself to unhook her bra. "I didn't plan on needing them tonight. Hope that isn't a problem" she smirks and tosses her bra after her skirt before reaching up and unhooking Jessica's from the front. 

"And how long have you been planning this out?" Jessica asks, sliding her bra off to the floor before crawling onto the bed. "Do you spend your restless nights thinking about me?" She crooks her finger in a come hither gesture, and Juno happily obliges. 

"A great commander and strategist never gives away their plans" Juno says with a smirk. She crawls to where Jessica is, sliding a knee up between the captain's legs as she draws the smaller woman into a heated kiss. 

Jessica happily accepts the kiss, grinding up lightly against Juno's well toned thigh. She slides her hands up to Juno's shoulders, pulling away with a mischievous smile. "Do you know what better commanders do?" She asks, baiting Juno along.

Juno raises an eyebrow, choosing to play along for the moment"Pray tell" 

Jessica uses her grip on Juno's shoulders to flip them so she looms above the other woman with a grin of her own. "They think fast" before Juno can say another word, Jessica's mouth is back on hers, her hands moving from Juno's shoulders to the roam over the rest of her body, tracing scars and learning her curves. 

Juno hooks a leg over the back of Jessica's thigh, making herself easier to reach as Jessica's hand dips lower. Jessica kisses a trail from Juno's lips to her neck, leaving a string of small nips in her wake until she can begin on a proper love bite on Juno's collar. 

"You really have been dying for this haven't you?" She whispers against Juno's skin as she runs her fingers through Juno's wetness earning her a shiver from the centurion. 

"I thought there was no teasing allowed" Juno says, tilting her head back to allow Jessica better access to her neck. "Or does that rule only apply to you, my dear captain?" 

"Then tell me what you want, centurion" Jessica answers back smugly, lightly brushing her finger tips over Juno's clit, earning her a low moan. 

"I want your fingers inside of me, and I want to cum harder than I ever have in my life" Juno demands, and moves a hand down to guide Jessica's fingers to her entrance." But more importantly I just want you" she says honestly." And I want you now. If I have to wait a moment longer I'll die" 

Jessica's eyes widen and she's grateful that she's in a position where Juno can't see her face, the words catching her off guard. "Yes, centurion" she says softly before moving two fingers slowly inside the other woman. Juno lets out a long moan, still guiding Jessica's movements so her fingers begin to slide in and out of her dripping cunt. 

Jessica goes back to bitting her shoulder, mixing kisses in between the bites to soothe the skin. She lets Juno guide her hand the exact way she wants it, and shifts her palm so it brushes against Juno's clit with every thrust of her fingers. Jessica moves her mouth lower, to the perky pink nipple of Juno's right breast. 

Jessica brushes her teeth lightly across the nub before swirling her tongue around it. Juno moves her hand faster and she obliges, soft words of praise begin to spill from the centurion's lips in between her soft low moans. 

Jessica begins to suck on Juno's nipple, brushing her teeth and her tongue across it every so often. She crooks her hand so she can grind the heal of her palm against Juno's clit, pausing her motions only to add a third finger before moving her hand faster. Juno's grip tightens on her and as she tries to keep up with the praises from before while her climax begins to build up. Jessica keeps moving her hand faster, trying to thrust harder and deeper with each stroke until finally Juno clenches down on her with a cry of her name. 

Jessica slows down her pace, but keeps up with the motions, letting Juno ride out her orgasm as she had done for the captain. Jessica kisses her way back up Juno's body till their lips meet again. The kiss is slower and sloppier than before exhaustion beginning to overtake them both. Finally, Jessica removes her fingers and shifts her position on the bed to wipe them off on the corner of the blanket. Juno moves herself, rearranging herself on the bed so she can act as the big spoon when Jessica moves to lay back down. 

After a long moment of silence, Juno is the first to break it "Wow indeed" she says and Jessica giggles softly in response, pulling the covers up around them. 

"I take it I met all your expectations ,centurion?" She asks, smugness radiating off of her. She twists in Juno's arms to snuggle up against her chest, wrapping her arms around her. 

"There is no doubt in my mind that you are the best fuck I've ever had in my life" Juno says nuzzling her face into the captain's hair. "I'd be a damn fool not to have you in my bed every night from here on out" she says honestly which earns her another giggle from Jessica. 

"I'll be sure to include that in a clause for all our future negotiations" Jessica says, and yawns softly. She makes herself comfy, settling in with a happy sigh as her eyes grow heavy. "Don't forget you promised me beaver pelt body worship" she mumbles, doing her best to try and stay awake, the alcohol and the night's activities catching up with her. 

"I always make good on my promises" Juno replies, rubbing Jessica's back softly. " but what do I get in return?" She asks. After a moment without a reply, she asks softly, nudging Jessica slightly "You still up?" But the woman doesn't reply. 

Juno is thoroughly impressed with how fast Jessica had been able to drop off to sleep. Every legionary was trained to sleep lightly if at all and the NCR clearly seemed to take a different stance on their beauty rest. Juno glances over at the clock on the nightstand, the red letters reading the time to be roughly 2 am. It was far too late to redress and trudge a mile back to camp in Juno's opinion. The decanii could hold the fort until morning. Until then, Juno was more than happy to settle down and join the captain in sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Jessica awakens with a yawn, rolling over to get more comfortable to go back to sleep. What she doesn't expect is for someone buried under a mound of her covers to shift with her, pulling her back against their body with a soft happy sigh. 

Her eyes snap open and her mind races from half awake to full steam, trying to figure out who's in her bed. It dawns on her that Juno never left last night after she had fallen asleep first. The centurion had just made herself comfy and gone to sleep too. Jessica relaxes slightly, tempted to go back to sleep but a nagging at the back of her mind keeps her awake. 

What if the town had burned to the ground while she was sleeping. What if Juno was playing her the whole time. Jess slowly shifts back to her other side, pulling back the covers slightly to look at the centurion's face. 

The other woman is sleeping soundly, and Jessica's heartbeat speeds up slightly. There's no way someone who looks so peaceful could be truly evil. The centurion had multiple chances the night before to pull something, and Jessica doubted that she would try anything now. Jessica finally allows herself to relax, and moves a hand to brush back Juno's messy bed head from her eyes. 

Juno stirs with the touch, blinking her eyes open and squinting with a pout. Jessica has to bite her lip to keep from laughing at how cute she looks when petulant. 

"Sleep well?" Jessica asks barely above a whisper, afraid if she speaks any louder she'll risk breaking the perfectness of the morning. 

Juno pouts more and closes her eyes before attempting to burrow deeper under the covers." Why're you awake" Juno grumbles softly "sun's still asleep. We should be too" 

Jessica doesn't hold back her laugh this time, glancing over at the alarm clock on her nightstand. "It's 10 in the morning. I assure you the sun is awake" she tugs lightly at the blankets, smirking when Juno groans and holds them tighter. 

"Then the sun is a damn fool. It should go back to bed too" Juno states with a grumble, yanking all the covers away from Jessica so that she's one big centurion burrito. 

Jess props herself up on an elbow, running her fingers once more through Juno's hair. "I'll go back to bed, on one condition" she waits for the soft hum of acknowledgement from the other woman, and briefly wonders if Juno has already gone back to sleep. "You make breakfast when we get up" she finishes, giggling at one eye Juno slowly opens to judge her with. 

"Acceptable terms" she's mumbles, and closes the eye. Juno raises the covers up, allowing Jessica to move back under them. Once Jessica's settled, Juno rearranges herself so she can snuggle up against the captain's side, using her chest as a pillow. She hums softly, happy and content once more. "You can keep playing with my hair. It was nice" she says with a soft yawn before falling back asleep. 

Jessica laughs softly again, deciding any and all discussions and treaties from there on out should take place in bed if they were going to be this easy, she moves her left hand to rest on top of Juno's while her right begins to lazily comb through her hair. Jessica mentally begins to calculate the rest of the day and the days ahead. 

Perhaps it would be best to offer the legion a chance to move closer to the town. A deal could be struck, fresh meat from the legion for access to their wells. A rough barter system could probably be achieved. Neither camp really expected traders or supply caravans to ever show back up and it would be best for the both of them if they began to work together. The winter would be tough on both of them but if they held back enough seeds to plant in the spring Jessica had no doubt the legionaries could be taught to farm. 

The legion no doubt knew these lands better than they did in most respects. At the very least they knew how to combat most of the poisons that the local fauna had to offer. Once they established the town fully as a settlement, a balance perhaps of legion and NCR ideals, they could send scouts north for caravans to entice into heading south. They could find out the result of the war too. 

Jessica glances down at Juno with a soft frown. If the NCR had taken the dam and crushed the legion she may be forced to turn Juno over to the hands of the government and her superior officers. If the legion had taken the dam what would Juno do with her? No doubt the centurion had her own orders of what to do with commanding officers. Jessica couldn't seem to picture Juno following through on them. Surely the two camps had grown too familiar with each other for bloodshed. 

If a deal could be struck one side could let the other go, turn their back and pretend the enemy had never been here in the first place. Jessica sighs. It was far too many ifs,buts, and maybes for her to handle so early in the morning. She should be grateful and content. After all, she had a beautiful woman in her bed that had promised her breakfast. That is, if said beautiful woman ever decided to wake up. 

Jessica moves her hand from toying with Juno's hair to lightly tracing her spine, occasionally pausing to trace small patterns against her skin. She wondered if Juno might be hung over when she woke up. Legionaries after all, weren't supposed to drink. 

Juno shifts and mumbles something, rubbing her face against Jessica's chest, tightening her grip on the captain. Jessica smiles softly and squeezes her hand in return. Jessica sincerely hopes to herself that Juno actually follows through on her promise of taking the captain back to her tent. If she could talk her troops into accepting the legion's advancement in terms of diplomacy then she would have less of a distance to walk. 

Jessica goes back to petting her hair, closing her eyes and taking mental inventory of supply ration redistribution for both camps and who she can assign to clean up last night's mess. She feels Juno shift again and moves with her, trying to make the centurion more comfortable. Finally, after a few moments of wiggling around Juno gives up with a sigh. 

"I can hear you thinking" Juno says with a small huff "it's too early" she folds her arms under her, propping herself up on Jessica's chest to look down at her. 

Jessica laughs and adjusts herself so her hands rest on Juno's hips. "It was too early 30 minutes ago before you went to sleep. At this rate you'll be making me lunch instead of breakfast" 

Juno tilts her head, pretending to consider this with a small hum " I dunno...I was kinda thinking about having you for breakfast instead" she tilts her head back down to grin wickedly at Jessica. 

Jessica rolls her eyes before leaning up to kiss Juno's nose "you can have me for desert later on tonight. You've still got a promise to make good on and I've got a town to clean up after last night's party."

Juno sighs, pouting slightly "yeah I suppose...I have my own troops to boss around anyway." She shifts, allowing Jessica to get up and stretch before flopping back down onto the bed. "So breakfast?" She asks, glancing over Jessica appreciatively. 

"After I get my shower. You're welcome to use it after me and you can borrow clothes out of my closet if you wish" Jessica says with a shrug before slipping off to the bathroom. She's tempted to invite Juno to join her, but they really do need to get a start on the day.


End file.
